Corner construction for tables



y 1934- w. BERSSENBRUGGE 1,957,195

CORNER CONSTRUCTION FOR TABLES Filed March 14, 1952 i" z J g 1700670523Patented May 1, 1934 1,957,195 CQRNER CONSTRUCTION FOR. TABLES WilliamBerssenbrugge, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application March 14,

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to card tables or the like and hasparticularly to do with a corner construction for such tables.

Many card tables necessarily are of inexpensive construction. Tables ofthis type should be highly portable which necessitates that they bemanufactured of light weight materials. In addition, such tables must befairly strong. Apparently, a table having a permanent top with legsfoldable within the area of the permanent top and in alinement with therails for support ing the top is preferred over other varieties oftables.

The present invention has to do with a table of the character justdescribed and the invention resides particularly in providing at thecorners of such table suitable bracing means for insuring the rigidityof the top and concurrently arranging for the relatively firm support ofthe table legs. The legs illustrated are collapsible within the areadefined by the reinforcing rails arranged beneath the table top.

Among the objects of the invention are the following:

A new and improved corner construction for a card table or the like.

An improved assembly of parts for use at the corner of the table andwhereby firmness of structure as well as low cost production andassembly are assured.

An improved corner brace and leg support for a table.

New and novel means for constructing the corner of a table in which acollapsible leg is secured.

These objects, and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, areobtained by the novel construction, unique arrangement, and improvedcombination of the several elements which constitute the form of theinvention illustrated in the accompanying single sheet of drawing,hereby made a part of the specification and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the table embodying the subject matteror" the present invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 andillustrative of a corner of the table.

Figure 3 is a similar section at ninety degrees angle to the section inFigure 2 and is taken on the line 33 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a bottom View of the table shown in Figure 1 with the legsretracted.

Like reference characters are used to desig- 1932, Serial No. 598,777

nate similar parts in the drawing and in the description of the tablewhich follows.

Reference should be had first to Figure 1. The top of the tableillustrated comprises a rectangular sheet of material, generaly fiber,which is indicated by the reference character 10. Surrounding said tabletop it) are rails 11 which are in the form of Wooden strips or the like,generally rectangular in transverse cross section. Rails 11 have beveledends, as shown in Figure 2, and are suitably joined at their ends forthe purpose of providing a satisfactory and right angle corner.

As shown in Figure 3, the fiber sheet 10 is secured to the corner pieceby nails or tacks 12, the edges of the fiber resting on an undercutshoulder or longitudinal recess section 13. Between the shoulder 13 andthe outer higher section 14 of each rail 11, there is a vertical slot 15into which the edges of any covering material (not shown) which may belaid over the fiber sheet 10 (to provide a neat trim for the table) isadapted to be forced.

Each of the corners of the table is identical. The metal memberscomprising the corners are laid in rotation so that one leg only will beparallel and adjacent to each rail 11, as shown in Figure 4.

In each corner, there is a strap metal member which comprises a straightsection 1'? which has struck therefrom two tongues, 18 and 19. There isalso disposed in said section 17 an aperture 20, the purpose of whichwill later be made apparent.

At a ninety degree angle to section 17 is a second section whichcomprises a portion 21, an offset portion 22 which has end sections 23and 24, and a third section 25. In section 21 and 25 are tongues 26 and27 which are struck from the material of the corner piece to projectoutwardly. There is in section 27 an aperture 28. By the arrangementdescribed and illustrated, section 22 is offset from sections 21 and 27by the oblique portions 23 and 24. In section 22 is an aperture 29.

A second metallic member, also angular in construction and of a strapmaterial, is associated with the first referred to member. Said secondmember comprises an L-shaped construction shown in horizontal crosssection in Figure 2 and having a short leg 31 and a longer leg 32. Inthe leg 31 is an elliptical aperture 33 and a similar aperture 34 isdisposed in leg 32. The two strap metal parts, i. e., the two cornerpieces are assembled as shown in Figure 2 with a table leg 36 betweenthe off set section 22 and the leg 32.

For holding the larger member and the smaller member in assembly at oneend thereof, there is provided a rivet 36 which projects through theelongated slot of leg 31, through the aperture 20 in section 1'7, andthrough the wood member 11; the head of the rivet preferably being atthe outside of the table.

The other leg of the larger corner piece is attached to an adjoiningrail 11 by running a rivet 37 throirgh the aperture 28 therein andthrough the wood section 11, there being supplied a washer 38intermediate the spread end of the rivet 37 and the section 25.Intermediate the two members, and particularly between the apertures 29in the offset section 22 and the aperture 34 in the leg 32, is a rivet39. Preferably the head of the rivet 39 is disposed toward the rail llwith the clinched head thereof falling within the offset space definedby the sections 23 and 2e.

In such an assembly, the tongues 18 and 19, and 26 and 27, are forcedinto the material of the normally disposed ta le rails 11, the rivets 36and 37 insuring a firm attachment of the larger corner piece. The rivet36 of course insures firm jointure of the smaller angle piece to thelarger corner member. By the use of elongated slots in the smallercorner piece, the necessity for accurate assembly or accuratemanufacture of the parts is avoided for the elliptical hole in theshorter leg permits of adjustment of the smaller L-shaped member alongthe face of the larger member to accommodate legs 35 of differentdimensions. Likewise, the elliptical hole 34 in the leg 32 in- 'reasesthe field of alinement therebetween and the aperture 29 in the off setportion 22.

Any standard brace comprising fiat members 45 and 46 pivoted to form anelbow joint at t! may be attached between a leg 35 and the adjacent siderail 11 to hold the leg in a position normal to the table top when thetable is in use. The end of the brace piece e5 is pivotally attached tothe side member in parallelism to the folcling plane of the adjacent legwhile the extended end of the brace piece a6 is similarly attached tothe opposed side of said leg. When the legs are swung into the foldedposition the brace pieces 45 and as are brou ht into juxtaposition byextending the joint 47 toward the free ends of the legs and are disposedintermediate the respective legs and side members.

A table constructed in the manner indicated is strong. The metal partsare light. Said pats firmly hold a collapsible leg in position adjacentto the corner of the table and permit of ready folding beneath the tablewhen collapse of the table is desired.

What is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

In a table, a corner construction comprising side members with straightinterior faces intersecting at a right angle, a pivoted leg, and sidemember reinforcing and leg supporting means, said means comprising twostraps of metal each having legs at right angles to one another and eachof width substantially equal to or greater than the major transversedimensions of said leg, one of said straps having a leg with two spacedapart tongues penetrating the material of the adjacent side member andan aperture therethrough intermediate said tongues, the other leg ofsaid side member having end portions disposed against the side memberadjacent thereto and an intermediate part offset from aid end porticns,each of said end portions having a tongue penetrating said adjacent sidemember and one of said portions having an aperture therethrough, theoffset part of d leg being of the full width of the leg and hat-mg anaperture therethrough,

n aperture therethrough, the aperture in seing elongated longitudinallyof the leg which formed, and a plurality of fastening means, one of saidfastening means extending through the second referred to leg of thefirst "t .med strap member and through the adjacent member, a second ofsaid fastening means extending through the elongated aperture in one legof said second referred to strap member, the nerture in the n streferred to leg of the first reed to strap member, and the adjacent side"1d a third of said fastening means exrough the offset part in thesecond reie led to leg of rst mentioned strap memher, the table leg, andthe elongated aperture in the second referred to leg in said secondmentio strap member, said third fastening means rprising a pivot for thetable leg and the two elor ated apertures in the legs of said second redto member compensating for any irregularity in the position of theaperture in said offset part of the second referred to leg of said firstreferred to strap member and in the transverse dimension of said tableleg.

WEI-LIAM BERSSENBRUGGE.

